Are you looking to convert your van into a cozy camper but don’t want to break the bank on an expensive sink? You’re not alone! Many van lifers are on a budget and are looking for affordable options for their DIY camper van builds. In this article, we will share our experience of creating a budget-friendly DIY camper van sink that is perfect for outdoor cooking and washing up during your camping adventures.
Our DIY camper van sink project started after taking a break to go on our honeymoon. My wife, Tara, and I got married and decided to take four weeks off to fully reset and enjoy our time together. It was the most fun we’ve ever had, and we came back from our honeymoon feeling rejuvenated and ready to continue our van conversion project. We want to thank everyone for their patience, and now we’re excited to share our DIY camper van sink project with you.
To build your own DIY outdoor sink, you will need the following items:
- Battery powered faucet: You can find it here:
- 5 gallon bucket (you might find one cheaper locally): You can find it here:
- Sink that will actually work: You can find it here:
- 2 inch drain: You can find it here:
- Sink drain: You can find it here:
- Cap mount for faucet: You can find it here:
- Trap adapter for faucet mount: You can find it here:
- Higher quality tubing: You can find it here:
- Hole punch: You can find it here:
- Plumber putty: You can find it here:
- 2 inch hole saw: You can find it here:
- Step drill bit for quick release: You can find it here:
- JB weld epoxy should fit the faucet pieces together: You can find it here:
To start our DIY camper van sink project,
we gathered all the materials we needed. The sink itself, a faucet, a bowl, a drain, clean water and gray water tanks, and some adhesive. We made sure to link all the materials we used above for easy reference and to make it more DIY friendly for our fellow van lovers.
Watch the build instead:
Let’s Start the Build
The first step was to figure out where we wanted to install the sink in our van. We decided that it would be an outside cooking top that could swivel for convenience. We also chose a battery chargeable faucet for automatic operation, which was a cool feature to have in our DIY camper van sink.
Next, we needed to mount the sink on a suitable surface. We encountered a small challenge as the sink did not have a mounting point. However, we found a solution by using a two-by-two piece of wood to create a secure mount for the sink. We had to do some sanding to ensure we had enough threads to tighten it adequately.
Once the sink was mounted, we installed the faucet and connected it to the clean water and gray water tanks. We used a high-quality hose for durability, as the hose that came with the faucet was flimsy and cheap. We made sure to secure the connection with tape to ensure it was tight and leak-free.
Issue:
As we tested our DIY camper van sink, we encountered a few issues. The first issue was that the sink took a long time to drain, possibly due to the long hose creating a suction. We decided to cut the hose to a shorter length to improve drainage.
The second issue was water collecting at the edges of the sink, as it was not the lowest point of the bowl. We decided that we would replace the salad bowl we initially used as a sink with a proper sink that we found on Amazon for around $50.
The third issue is the mounting of the faucet could be done much better, so that is a bummer.
We also plan to stain and polyurethane the wood surrounding the sink and caulk it down for added security and durability.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our DIY camper van sink project was a budget-friendly option for our van conversion. We faced some challenges along the way but found solutions and learned from the experience. We hope our DIY camper van sink project inspires you to get creative and find budget-friendly solutions for your own van conversion. Happy van building!